1. CopyrightbyTheMcGraw-HillCompanies.
NAME DATE CLASS
Rome: Republic to Empire
21st Century Skills
Critical Thinking: Making Connections
Learning the Skill
There is a common expression that “history often repeats
itself.” This means that many events and patterns in history
seem to happen again and again over time.
Sometimes historical patterns are planned. For example,
democracy in the United States was modeled after the Roman
Republic. However, some patterns are not planned. They take
place because of certain conditions that are similar to other
times and places in history. In fact, historians study history
so they can make these connections.
For example, conflict between those with more wealth and
those with less is a common theme in history. This common
conflict occurred during the Roman Republic, between the
patricians and the plebeians, and this conflict is still
repeated today, around the world.
Whether these patterns are intentional or are accidents
of history, making connections between different times
and places helps us understand historical events and
present-day events.
Practicing the Skill Answer the following questions.
1. Identifying What method did the plebeians use to
pressure the patricians to give them more political power?
2. Comparing What groups today use the same methods as
the plebeians did?
3. Listing Name the rights plebeians eventually gained.
Lesson 2 Rome as a Republic
netw rks
2. CopyrightbyTheMcGraw-HillCompanies.
NAME DATE CLASS
Rome: Republic to Empire
21st Century Skills Cont.
4. Comparing Can you think of any groups in U.S. history
that have had to fight for their rights as citizens?
5. Evaluating In your textbook, you read that even though
plebeians had equal rights, they still didn’t have as much
power in the government as patricians. Why do you think
this was so? Explain your response.
Applying the Skill
Work with a classmate as your partner. Choose one of the
groups you identified in question 4 above to compare with the
experience of the plebeians. You may want to use the Internet
or the library to learn more about each group’s struggle for
equality. Create a Venn diagram like the one below. In one
oval, write facts about the plebeians and how they achieved
more rights. In the other oval, write facts about the other
group’s experience. In the part that overlaps, write things
the two groups have in common.
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